"1/4oz Pearl Bullet"

A simple 1/4oz pearl colored bullet head jig with a mylar flash tail (pictured)will very often catch docklight snook when nothing else will.  Fish it just under the surface with a light fluro leader for best results, and be prepared to catch a lot of snookies!

"What's Next For...Catch 365"

Next year we will switch things up a little bit with our "Catch 365" section.  It is going to go to be more photo and fan based section.  We will (hopefully!) be featuring your great catches, some of our own catches, a few throwbacks from years past, some custom rod pics, hot bite updates, and a few tips as well!

Should be a fun year coming up.  If you'd like to be featured in "Catch 365"; send your picture along with a quick story (a couple quick sentences; name, location, lure, anything you'd like to share) about  to [email protected].  Also be sure to use #catch365 on your instagram and Facebook photos (We may grab it from there as well!)

"Is Bigger Better?"

Ever floated a nice big fat shrimp by a snook, only to have him nose up to it and turn away.  If the shrimp are running small in a given area that is what the snook will be keyed in on.  Don't overlook the small shrimp in the bucket...bigger isn't always better!

"Weight Transfer"

Ever noticed that some plugs get hung up in the air and look more like a trick plane than a fishing lure during the cast.  Avoid this by throwing a lure with a weight transfer system.   The Yo-Zuri Mag Minnow(pictured) and the Rapala X-Rap both have a weight transfer system that lets them cast more like a bullet than a acrobatic airplane.

"Riding Around"

Every once in a while; leave the rods at home and just take a ride (and look) around your usual fishing spots.  Without rods, and the desire to go right to the spots you know, its amazing how many new fishy looking spots you can find. 

"When Less is More..."

Some lures just work better the less you do.  The DOA TerrorEzy(pictured above) is a great example: Throw it up-current of your target, let it sink to the desired level of the water column, and then simply let it float back with the current.  The simple action is often all it takes to trigger a strike.

"Kings and Muttons"

Mutton snapper (like the beautiful one pictured above caught by Capt. Eric) love to hang out underneath schools of kingfish.  The kingfish are sloppy feeders and their leftover scraps are readily picked up by mutton, yellowtail, and mangrove snappers.  You may not want to catch the kingfish, but finding them will often find you some snapper!

Photo Credit 
Capt Eric (http://www.freighttrainfishing.com)
Capt Jack (http://www.captainjacksfishingcharters.com)

"Keep ON Spooling"

Mutton snapper, especially the big ones, tend to be very spooky and slow to bite.  Try to keep everything natural looking and all terminal tackle to the bare minimum when targeting tricky muttons. A slide rig is a great choice for mutton snapper as it allows you to "spool" out the bait.  

"Spooling" is pretty simple.  
1. Drop the bait down to the bottom.  Try to go a little slow as this keeps your bait, sinker, and leader from tangling into one giant mess.
2. When the sinker hits the bottom you will feel a slight bump.  Don't engage the reel, but instead continue to let the line flow back.
3. In a perfect world this allows the sinker to lay flat on the bottom and the bait is left floating with the current.
4.  Pay close attention to the speed the line is going out.  If it suddenly speeds up you have been picked up (If it's a mutton its very often a hard thump and a blazing runoff!)
5. When your picked up, engage the reel and start cranking.  If using a circle hook just crank until the rod bends over and the fights on.  If using j-hooks crank until the rod starts to bend over, give a quick hookset, and start fighting!

Good luck and good spooling!